


The Reason (and Bane) of his Existence

by Stormlight8



Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace is Not having fun, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, The Roger pirates are very confused, he wants to leave
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24923602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormlight8/pseuds/Stormlight8
Summary: Death had come to claim Portgas D. Ace.  But for some reason, he was not dead.  It was somehow worse.  He'd been transported back in time during his father's reign as the Pirate King.  The only bright side?  He could finally meet his mother.
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks & Buggy, Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks & Portgas D. Ace, Gol D. Roger & Portgas D. Ace, Gol D. Roger/Portgas D. Rouge, Portgas D. Ace & Portgas D. Rouge
Comments: 44
Kudos: 362





	1. Chapter 1

"- your fault that we're stuck here, it's so boring and you're super dumb! Why the hell did you pull something like that, you're so impossible, and on top of that you got caught! And I got stuck here with you! Hey, you're not listening to a thing I say, aren't you?"

Shanks looked away from the cloud that vaguely looked like a lion. "What's that, Buggy?"

His companion, Buggy, groaned. "You absolute moron."

He shrugged and shook the little flask. "That may be so, but I did get some of Captain's special stash."

Buggy gaped at him. "How do you - how do you even have that right now?"

He grinned. "I snuck it up here. You don't think Captain'll miss it, will you?"

Buggy ran a hand over his face. "You're such an - Captain won't miss it, but Rayleigh? You'll land both of us in hot water!"

Shanks nodded - Rayleigh was very astute. He'd been the one to send the two of them to the crow's nest to keep watch under the account of "making a ruckus". Captain had just laughed. "It still tastes good, so I'd say it was worth it. You sure you don't want some?"

Buggy glared at him. "And incriminate myself further? Are you out of your mind?" the clown paused. "Don't answer that, I already know."

Shanks laughed. "Suit yourself, more for me!"

Buggy grumbled some more, but Shanks basked in the sunlight and open air. Nothing beat being on the sea surrounded by friends and drinking good liquor. He took a gulp of the alcohol and gazed out to the water as it went down his throat.

Then he frowned.

"Hey, Buggy," he said casually, interrupting his friend's tirade. "Do you see that over there?"

Buggy looked at him, scowling. "See what?" The clown squinted in the direction that Shanks was looking. "I think I see it....Wait, is that a person?"

Shanks was already up. He swung himself over the crow's nest and shimmied down the ropes. He knew them like he knew the back of his hand - he was one of the fastest on the ropes, after all.

Meanwhile, he could still hear Buggy yelling. "Why would a person be in the middle of the ocean? Are they stupid, they'll drown! Hey, where are you going?"

That last question was directed at Shanks. Without bothering to look up to his friend, Shanks called out to him. "I'm going to go save him, what else?"

"You're too weak to be a pirate if you save every drowning guy you come across, you know!" Buggy shouted at him, yet from the vibrations of the rope Shanks knew Buggy was following him down.

His feet touched down on deck, and some of the crew looked at him curiously.

"Has it been an hour already?" one crew member asked. "Time sure flies!"

Another crew member slapped the other on the back of the head. "It has not been an hour. What's up, kid? See something?"

"Man overboard!" Shanks told them, already running . He leaped off the ship and into the ocean - Devil Fruits were cool and all, but he didn't think he'd ever want to lose his ability to swim for it. 

Luckily, the seas were relatively calm for the Grand Line, so Shanks was able to reach the drowning man fairly quickly (He was rather impressed that the man had managed to stay afloat, to be honest). Awkwardly swimming in place, he grabbed the other man's arm and putting it around his shoulder, he began to paddle back. Very, very slowly.

(Captain always teased him for being short, but dammit, everyone is short when you're nine feet tall.)

A tube was thrown to them with a line attached, and Shanks grabbed at it, shifting the man so he was grabbed onto that instead of wrenching Shanks' shoulder out. The crew pulled them back onto the decks of the _Oro Jackson_ \- just about the whole crew had gathered. Including Rayleigh.

He was screwed.

Crocus was already at the man's side, methodically pushing on the man's chest. Rayleigh's glasses glinted as the man looked down at him. "Made a new friend, did you."

Shanks got up, ignoring that he was dripping wet. "You put me on watch, so I watched. I don't know how he ended up in the ocean though - maybe he's a pirate?"

"Or part of the navy," someone else snorted.

Rayleigh nodded - that guy had an excellent poker face. Shanks didn't want to think about how much he owed the first mate.... "Good job -"

A choking sound revealed the man coughing up a ton of sea water, and Crocus sat back, relieved. "He's alright now," the doctor said. "He's just unconscious now, and needs rest."

"What's this?" Captain asked, emerging from below decks. "I heard lots of yelling. You guys alright? Did Buggy fall into the ocean again?"

"I didn't fall!" Buggy protested.

"No," Rayleigh answered. "Shanks here spotted a man overboard, so we brought him on deck."

Captain peered at the unconscious man, frowning. "Does he look familiar to you, Rayleigh?"

Rayleigh frowned and stepped next to Captain, surveying the man. "Perhaps....we'll have to wait until he wakes up to know more, however."

Captain still stared at the young man, which made Shanks do the same. The guy didn't look like anything special, except for maybe the giant scar on his chest. He had freckles dusting his face, and had wavy black hair. He narrowed his eye sat the man - he seemed almost familiar to Shanks, but he couldn't place it....

"Crocus, take him to the medical wards," Captain ordered. "We'll take care of the man until he wakes up - maybe this will take us on our next adventure!"

Crocus nodded, and snapped at Buggy to go and get a stretcher. The crew began to disperse again, back to partying (which Shanks sorely wished he was apart of) but Shanks crouched next to Crocus. "How do you think he got the scar?"

The doctor looked at the man, eyes dark. "I don't know, but the way it looks like a burn, this man shouldn't be alive, let alone as healthy as he is."

Shanks blinked in surprise - Crocus was a medical genius, and was never wrong. So if he said that this guy was supposed to be dead, then what the hell happened?

Buggy returned with the stretcher, and Crocus had the two of them carry the man into the ship. After that and after Shanks changed into dry clothes, Rayleigh made the two of them go back into the crow's nest.

"But why?" Buggy complained. "It's so boring up there, and it's even worse with him."

Shanks grinned at his friend as Buggy glared at him.

"But you're so good at it," Rayleigh smiled. The boys sighed and turned back to the ropes when Rayleigh called his name. "The flask?"

Shanks gave a rueful smile and tossed Rayleigh the flask. "And I almost got away with it too."

Rayleigh snorted. "Yeah, right. Now get up there, you two still have an hour left of watch duty."

So to the sound of his crew-mates partying, Shanks and Buggy climbed back up to the crow's nest.


	2. Chapter 2

Ace's whole body felt like it was on fire (Which was weird, considering he was fire - and fire shouldn't be able to hurt him). On top of that, he was certain he ought to have been dead, and if he felt as if he was burning alive, he obviously wasn't.

His eyes snapped open and flung himself forward.

_Luffy!_

He cried out as he got tangled (in sheets?) and fell to the floor. Breathing harshly, he put his head between his knees. The last thing he remembered was looking up at his little brother, the sounds of explosions and screams in the air. He had thanked Luffy, and the Whitebeard pirates for loving him....and then he was sure he died.

Slowly, he got his breathing under control, though his heart still pounded in his chest. It seemed as if he was in a boat, by the gentle rocking. And the cabin he was in, by the medical supplies on the desk, it looked like some sort of sick bay.

How the hell did he get here?

Where even was here?

The door creaked open and Ace shot to his feet hand instantly covered in flames. He wouldn't be caught unaware, not this time. He'd go out swinging, light the whole ship aflame if he had to -

"That's an interesting Devil Fruit power you've got there, kid," the man said, completely relaxed. "Now lay down, you're still wounded and that means I have more work to do."

Instead, Ace stood there dumbly. "Crocus?" he asked incredulously. The last time he'd seen the old man was about three years ago - when he'd first entered the Grand Line. "What are you doing here? Where is here?"

The man's eyebrows rose. "Why wouldn't I be on this ship? I'm the doctor here. Now lay down before I have to wrestle you to the bed."

"But -" Ace protested. "What about Laboon? I thought you were taking care of him?"

"You know Laboon?" Crocus asked, beginning to frown.

Ace nodded, trying to make sense of.....well, everything. "Yeah! And I met you, though you do look different now...."

Crocus shook his head. "Enough nonsense. I've never met you before, kid. Now lay down and let me do my damn job."

Ace started to frown too. "You look younger, I think. Are you Crocus' son, by any chance?"

Crocus glared at him. "I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but I am Crocus - I have no children."

"Ah, my apologies then. Still, you look great for being seventy-three years old."

"Seventy-three!" Crocus exclaimed, looking aghast. "I'm fourty-seven!"

"Wait," Ace said. "You're _what._ "

"Just lay down already," Crocus growled. "I don't want you to irritate that wound of yours."

"Wound....?" Ace asked. Then his eyes locked on the very apparent scarring right in the middle of his chest. Right where Akainu punched his fist. He hissed suddenly, his chest twinging in pain.

A hand pushed him down onto the bed, and Ace didn't stop it. A moment later, the pain subsided, and Ace ran a hand through his hair, ignoring how it was shaking.

Crocus leaned back onto his feet holding a can of ointment. "Better?"

Ace nodded, swallowing. "Yeah," he said. "A lot better. Thank you."

Crocus snorted. "Yeah, whatever kid. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get that scar? It looks old, yet behaves as if it were fresh."

Ace's gaze turned stony. "I protected something precious to me."

Crocus didn't question him further about it. "Well, however you got that scar, and however you think you know me, our captain will be docking at the nearest island where we'll drop you off."

Something about that seemed off to Ace. "Captain?"

Crocus gave Ace a look. "You didn't think we were sailing without a captain, did you?"

"No, I just...." Ace started off. "Didn't know that you went sailing."

The doctor rolled his eyes. "Make up your mind kid - either you know me, or you don't. Earlier you mentioned Laboon, right? I'm out to find the pirates that left him, see if I can figure out what happened. Unfortunately, the way things are looking...."

Wait. Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait. "You said that the Rumbar pirates were long dead though, right?" Ace asked, hoping things will start to make sense, yet knowing that most likely, they wouldn't. It just wasn't how his life worked.

"Rumbar?" Crocus said, whipping his head towards Ace so fast he thought he heard a snap (he'd be concerned if Crocus didn't look so young). "You know of them?"

"Yeah," Ace said slowly. "You literally told me."

"I did no such -"

The door slammed open, and Ace resisted from flinching back. Two boys tumbled in, both about the age of thirteen. The red haired one sprung to his feet while the one with blue haired grumbled about a "no good idiot".

"Sorry about that," the red haired smiled. "Captain told us to go check on you, and see if the unconscious guy woke up."

Crocus sighed. "I admire the ceaseless energy the youth continue to use. Shanks, what have I told you about spying?"

"To not be caught." The young boy grinned.

"No," Crocus said sternly. "To not do it."

The red haired boy considered this, then shrugged. "Oops."

"You idiot...." the blue haired boy staggered to his feet, admonishing the red head all the while.

But Ace was stuck processing one word.

Shanks.

He stared at the kid. When he'd last met Shanks, the man was in his late thirties, not a teenager - much less younger than Ace!

"No way," he said hoarsely. "This can't be real."

The red head - Shanks - turned towards him. "Why not?"

"Because - because you're _Shanks_. Red Haired Shanks." Ace looked at the blue haired guy, something tugging at his brain - about a certain pirate he spotted while on the execution platform, that had emerged from the fallen battleship with Luffy. "And you're....Bunny? Bummy? No, Buggy, right? Buggy the clown."

The blue headed boy's eyes widened. "He knows my name? How the hell does he know my name?"

A sinking feeling started in his chest, and he turned on Shanks. "Where's your captain?"

There'd been a rumor about Red Haired Shanks that he'd always been hesitant to tell Luffy about.

"Captain?" Shanks asked. "Why do you want to know?"

A rumor that could very well prove itself true in that very moment.

Ace rose from the bed, only for the door to open a third time, emitting a tall man with a red coat, and the most ridiculous looking mustache he'd ever seen before in his life (Pops didn't count - he was _Pops_ ).

He was face-to-face with the devil himself.

Gol D. Roger.


	3. Chapter 3

Ace wasn't sure how he got from Point A to Point B. One moment he was staring at the man who ruined his entire life, and the next his hand throbbed and Gol D. Roger was holding the side of his face gingerly.

_He just hit the King of the Pirates._

"Hey!" Shanks shouted. "If you want to fight Captain, you'll have to fight all of us first! Right, Buggy?"

"Eh?" Buggy shot a look at the red-head. "Don't drag me into your hair brained schemes! But he's right - you can't just hit our captain like that!"

Two hands came down on the boys shoulders. "Now, now, don't get so riled up boys. All he did was hit me a little - I bet that's how he says hello." Roger smiled at Ace as he subtly restrained the two apprentices. "My name is -"

"I know who you are," Ace snapped. "Gol D. Roger, King of the Pirates. You're a monster, and a devil."

Roger's brows rose. "My, that was unexpected. Most people pronounce my name as 'Gold Roger'. I knew you were going to be interesting! King of the Pirates has a nice ring to it though....."

"Are you listening to me?" Ace growled, shaking with pure rage. "Everyone hates you - _I_ hate you."

The other man studied Ace, even as the two apprentices struggled. Crocus simply sat back in his chair watching. "I'm very sorry you feel that way," Roger said soberly. "What is your name?"

Ace looked away. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "Not to you."

"It does matter," Roger said. "And I don't know you, but _you_ matter. Plus, I think you'd want us to call you by your name, rather than 'boy', or 'son'."

Well, the King of the Pirates was right about one thing.

"Ace," he relented reluctantly. 

Roger nodded. "We'll be docking at the next island in a couple of days, Ace. If you'd like, we can drop you off there."

The sooner the better. "Fine."

Roger finally released the two boys, who stood there warily. "You're free to walk the ship, of course, and you can stay here in the med-bay if you'd like, since I figure Crocus wants to keep an eye on that burn of yours."

And just like that, and a flap of the coat, the door closed, leaving Ace with the two apprentices and the doctor.

Shanks crossed his arms. "If Captain thinks you're okay, then I agree. But we'll definitely be watching you."

"Who said anything about 'we'?" Buggy protested, and the two boys left as well.

Ace sat - more like fell - back onto the cot with a sigh. "Damn it."

"That was rather eventful," Crocus commented, and Ace looked at him. "Usually people are too scared of Roger to try to fight him, unless you're Newgate or one of those powerhouses."

He leaned against the wall - his rage sapped, his energy gone with it. "Newgate?"

Ace knew, of course, that Pops and Roger were bitter rivals, but it was another thing entirely being in the time where it all took place. That he had actually met Roger....

"Yeah," Crocus nodded. "But usually they end up drinking together after the battles. That's how our crew-mate, Oden, joined up. He used to be Newgate's second division commander."

 _Now that was news._ "Newgate's old second division commander is here? Why?"  
  


At that, Crocus smiled. "We're going to go where none others have gone before - we're going to make it to the last island on the Grand Line."

"Raftel," Ace murmured. 

Crocus just continued smiling cryptically, and the man dimmed the lights. "I'm going to let you have some rest now. You've been conscious, but your body needs its natural rest to regain its energy. When you're awake, you're welcome to stop by the cafeteria and grab some food."

The door closed quietly, and Ace lay in his cot. Finally, he figured he might as well get some rest and decide what he'd do about the whole mess tomorrow. Yet as he closed his eyes, he heard hushed voices outside the door.

"Why'd you let him hit you, Roger?" someone asked quietly.

"He looked like he needed to," came the hated voice of the Pirate King, though somehow it didn't grate on Ace's nerves much now. "But he throws a mean punch for sure."

The first voice chuckled. "It certainly shows. Are you sure we should allow him to remain on the boat, though? He seems like a very angry young man, especially where it concerns you."

"Haki, right?" Roger said. "Rayleigh, he's an interesting person - you know as well as I do there's something different about his Haki, and he seems so familiar...."

"I guess I'll just have to make sure nothing gets out of hand," the first voice - Rayleigh(?) - said dryly. "Like always."

The two voices faded away as the two men left the area, the conversation the last thing on his mind as he drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

It was simple - he didn't chose to go to the mess hall.

His stomach did.

He had woken up in the med-bay, feeling drained as he recalled what had happened before he went to rest. _That man._

Ace had punched him. That man allowed himself to be punched.

He sighed an stared up at the ceiling. Damn it, why was everything in his life so complicated? But all of that - Roger, _time travel_ \- could wait. He had a bigger obligation to fill his stomach, which was rumbling rather loudly.

No one else was in the room, so he slowly rose from his bed, catching the sight of himself in a mirror. Turning to face it, he studied himself grimly. His hair was a mess - as if Thatch had whisked it in Ace's sleep. Cuts and scrapes littered his body, but most of all - 

The scar. The giant, impossible to miss, scar the covered his chest. Twisting, is also covered a large portion of his back. The tattoo....

Ace let out a shuddering sigh - he not only got hundreds of his crew members killed, Pops killed, but completely ruined the one thing he could take pride in, the symbol that had given his life a meaning. The symbol that made his life worth _living._

And he'd gotten it ruined.

_(But if Luffy survived....if his little brother had survived, then it would've been worth it.)_

His hand hovered above the scar, ignoring the way his hand trembled. It didn't sting. It didn't hurt - not like it should've. He should've been dead.

Thankfully, Crocus had left folded clothes on the bedside table. Shrugging the shirt on, he dismissed the feeling that it was wrong. How long ago had it been since he event thought of donning a shirt? The extra weight was uncomfortable.

Seeing his scar was uncomfortable.

_Was it a disservice to Pops, to cover up the mangled tattoo?_

Nevertheless, as he walked out of the med-bay wearing the shirt, he crushed the rising panic and hatred within himself - survival came first, on this devil's ship. He could deal with, or at least ignore it, for a time.

Following the smell of food, his nose led the way to the mess-hall. Still, despite his insane hunger which continually gnawed at him, he stopped in front of the door. He could hear laughing, loud and raucous. 

He opened the door, preparing himself for the stares that would inevitably hit him - after all, he did punch their captain.

But they didn't - they just kept partying and cheering, downing drinks together and enjoying their food. No one looked at him as if he were a criminal - some even smiled at him, hoisting their cups in the air.

In the back of the mess-hall, there was a bar of food, which was continuously being replaced as pirates snagged their own desired plates. He took a couple plates of meat - all Ace wanted to do was to grab the food, go back to his room, and wait until they docked at the nearest island to escape the hell boat.

"Ace, I'm glad to see you up!" a voice exclaimed, and Ace stilled as he saw Roger seated among his men. "Please, eat as much as you'd like, doctor's orders."

Crocus, who sat across Roger, sighed with a smile. "I'd say otherwise, but most everyone defies fate when it comes to food. So eat up, kid, and get some energy back."

Ace stared at the table. He recognized Silvers Rayleigh, as well as Scopper Gaban, Roger's first and second mate. Finally, he settled to glare specifically at Roger, then turned and walked over to the door.

"Hey, new guy!" someone shouted. Ace paused, impossible to not notice the shock of red hair. "You can come sit with us!"

In a split second decision, Ace decidedly sat down in the corner with Shanks, Buggy, and a man dressed in clothing he knew came from Wano. Sitting cross-legged, he dug into his meal (which was incredibly delicious, he almost cried with glee - it'd been a while since he'd been able to eat to his heart's content.

Not since Impel Down).

The man leaned forward, eyes glinting. "So you're the man Shanks here pulled from the ocean, right?"

Ace nodded, swallowing a chunk of meat. "That's right," he said, washing it down with water. "My name's Por - I mean, my name is Ace."

"This is Kozuki Oden," Shanks grinned. "He was Whitebeard's second division commander, but he's part of our crew now."

"Of course he's part of our crew, why wouldn't he be part of our crew?" Buggy blustered. "Whitebeard's an old softie - I mean, who calls their pirate crew a family? We're _pirates_ , not cuddly teddy bears."

While Buggy had gained points for helping Luffy, he lost some for that one comment. Whitebeard was an amazing pirate, and his crew - his family - was the driving reason for his strength. Ace was going to give the kid a piece of his mind when Oden laughed.

"I can see how you'd think that, but family on the ocean isn't that bad. It means you have people to back you up," Oden snorted. "Even if you don't necessarily want them too. Besides, are you so sure you can't count some people in this crew as family?"

Buggy shifted awkwardly. "No, of course not!"

Shanks poked Buggy on the shoulder, grinning. "Liar."

"I am not!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah?"

"So you were lying."

"Wait - what?" Buggy exclaimed. "You tricked me!"

Shanks shook his head, looking very self-satisfied. "No, you're the one that answered my question."

Buggy groaned. "I hate you."

Shanks just smiled.

"Kid, you don't even need to learn how to cheat at cards," Oden appraised Shanks. "You've got a way with words, and a poker face to match."

"No, he's just a moron," Buggy muttered.

Ace couldn't help but smile at the two - the pirate apprentices were amusing when they weren't insulting Pops' way of life. But what interested him more than younger Shanks and Buggy - Shanks, who rescued Luffy - was Kozuki Oden.

Ace didn't know too much about Kozuki Oden, just that the man used to be on Pops' crew, and that Yamato looked up to him. Apparently, he was the daimyo of Kuri in Wano, and died horrendously by Orochi and Kaido's hands. 

Why would such a great man, who held the love of many, join up with _That Man_?

"You used to be on Whitebeard's ship, right?" Ace found himself asking Oden.

Oden nodded, smiling. "It took a little....convincing, but Edward let me tag along with him - he even granted me the title of the second division commander. He's a good man, to be sure."

He frowned. "If you had all of that, then why did you leave?"

Oden took a gulp of sake. "I set out for adventure, to learn. Wano's borders are currently closed, and I needed to know more of what the world was like, what we as an island were missing out on. Edward is a good man, and took me as far as I could. But he has responsibilities," Oden conceded. "As do we all. He had territories to look after, a whole span of ocean needs his attention. But Roger is sailing to the final island, and that....that is something I need to see."

"So you just....swapped Whitebeard out for _Roger_?" Ace asked incredulously. 

Oden looked at him, his mirth fading into something more serious. "They are both good men. Edward is not bitter about my departure, and I will always be grateful that he took me along with him on his adventures. But Roger is a convincing man, and together we'll see this through."

He pressed his lips together. It was just....wrong, just like everything else. Whywhy _why_ would Oden toss out the chance to be part of Pops' crew for Roger? It didn't make sense to him.

"Listen," Oden continued. "I don't know what burden you carry with you, and I don't know what you have against Roger. I can't persuade you that Roger is a good man, but you can always see for yourself."

With that, Oden collected his plates, grinned at the apprentices, and left - towards Roger.

"He's right, you know," Shanks said sagely. "Captain's a great guy."

Buggy rolled his eyes. "Like he'd listen to an idiot like you."

Ace sighed, resting his back against the wall, letting the apprentices' bickering fade into the background, his gaze narrowing in on Roger.

Roger; the reason why his life was hell.

Roger; a good man.

The latter was absurd, but.....

_"You can always see for yourself."_


	5. Chapter 5

Despite what Oden had said, Ace maintained a distance between himself and Roger, though the daimyo's words kept echoing in his head.

_You can always see for yourself._

Ace snorted - he didn't need to. He already knew what kind of man Roger was, a monster so feared that the blood spilled at Marineford was on his hands. It was his fault. All of it.

So instead, he kept the company of Shanks and Buggy, the two hellion apprentices of Roger's ship, and spent his time fishing. It was strange, not having anything to do - he'd almost always had a position of leadership, be it a big brother, a captain, or Pops' second division commander. But on the _Oro Jackson_ , he was just a passenger - there was nothing for him to _do_.

That was why, combined with his need to be as far away from Roger as humanely possible, he was ecstatic to see an island of the horizon.

"Land, ho!" someone called out from the crow's nest.

Ace twisted around from where he was leaning against the ship, searching the open ocean for the island. Something in him relaxed at the sight of the nearing landmass - _finally_. Finally, he could leave the ship and leave behind the growing complacency he'd been slipping into.

"Does this mean you'll be leaving?" Shanks asked, fishing pole resting casually in his hands.

Ace blinked and looked at him. Shanks was young - only thirteen years old, and he was already sailing the ocean. The kid had no idea what would be happening in only a couple of years - he had no idea the the people he called family would be disbanded. And though he still considered Roger a piece of trash, he couldn't deny that the man was like a father to Shanks - and he would die in less than two years.

"Yeah," Ace admitted. "I can't stay with you guys. I should get to finding my crew."

Or, that's what he told everyone who asked, telling them stories about Deuce, and Mihar, and Skull...... He missed them more then he would ever admit. In truth, he had no idea what he would do once he got off the ship. He'd considered finding Pops, but he didn't think he could really face the crew, not when they didn't know him or their history.

If he was ever able to go back, they needed to know. He would feel like a fake if they didn't know about the bloodshed, the war over him. A pretend peace wasn't what he wanted, nor what his family deserved. 

So no, returning to the Whitebeard pirates was impossible, at least for the time being.

He'd also considered going to find his mother - perhaps, he could prevent her death. The one thing that made him hesitate was the fact that he didn't know the rules, if there weren't any. If he changed one thing, would it lead to a butterfly effect? Or would everything stay the same, no matter how hard he tried? Still, to see his mother....a gift too great to even think about.

"Hmph, about time!" Buggy exclaimed on Ace's other side. "Didn't even pay us for rescuing you, you know."

Ace arched an eyebrow. "And here I though my company alone was payment enough."

Buggy stared at him. "You're just as stupid as Shanks is! I don't care for your company, I want _gold._ "

Ace shrugged and smirked. "Sorry. I tend to not carry money on me."

"Idiots," Buggy groaned. "You're all sorry excuses for pirates."

As they bantered, the drew closer and docked at the island. Many ships were docked at the port, and people milled around the docks - it seemed the the city was filled with business (hopefully restaurants as well). Maybe he could find a hat store or something on the island....

Without warning, Ace leapt from the ship and onto the docks. Civilians were startled and stared at him, but he didn't care about that - what mattered was the shocked and awed gasps that came from the two apprentices.

He grinned and waved at them. "I'll see the two of you again someday on those seas, alright?"

"Right!" Shanks called out, smiling - because it wasn't a good-bye. Not for Shanks, at least, give or take twenty or so years.

Having said all the goodbyes he needed to say, Ace turned his back on the Oro Jackson and walked back into the city. At least now, without the constant reminder that Roger existed, he could pretend he was in his own timeline. 

The docks were filled with stalls for fresh fish, mostly, so Ace completely bypassed those and went deeper into the city. He had nothing but the shirt on his back, and that was fine. He'd managed before, and could do it again.

He ventured further into the city, blending into the crowd. Here, he was a no-one. Fire-Fist Ace was nonexistent. There were a few clothing shops sporting hats, but none of the selections suited his tastes - they were either too bland or too much.

Honestly, he just wanted his orange cowboy hat.

Feeling discouraged by the lack of hats, he followed his nose - as well as a map that he snagged at a display for the city - to a nearby restaurant. They was a large list of foods, but Ace was a simple man and ordered a couple plates of barbecue. 

Immediately, when his plate of food was placed in front of him he said, "Thank you for the meal."

And promptly dug in, not a morsel going to waste.

Yet, as he was eating, he knew something was wrong. His eyelids were getting heavy. He felt rather lethargic, though the outside eye probably couldn't tell the difference. Ace inwardly cursed - he hadn't had any of his medicine since Impel Down, which meant - 

His head slammed down onto the table. Ace was out cold.

As usual, he woke up to the concerned glances of customers and staff at the restaurant - though in most situations they'd be panicking, thinking he died or something (though obviously, that was not the case).

"Had a good nap?" asked a _very_ familiar voice.

Ace brushed aside some food on his face and glared at Roger, who appeared to be alone. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Roger blinked. "Am I not allowed to eat?"

"You're a pirate." Ace deadpanned.

"So are you," Roger pointed out. "Anyhow, I figured I might as well dine out, and this establishment seemed a good place to dine at. This is purely coincidental, of course."

Ace stared at Roger. As much as he wished the man was lying....he had to concede he probably wasn't. Oddly enough, his Haki gave Ace the feeling that Roger had good intentions.

How twisted, a devil having good intentions.

He sighed, frustrated. He still had a few more orders to go, even if he wasn't going to pay for it, Ace still wanted to eat the food. But to do that, he had to suffer through That Man's company.

Ace shoved a bite of food into his mouth angrily. 

"So, Ace," Roger continued. "Where are you off to now? I've heard from Shanks you'll go and rejoin your crew."

"I don't need to tell you anything," Ace said on instinct.

"I suppose not," Roger laughed. "A pirate has his secrets, after all! We'll be headed to Zou after this stop for the last Road Ponoglyph."

Ace frowned. "So? Why are you telling me this?"

Roger sighed, an almost wistful smile on his face. "I can tell when a person yearns for adventure. I know that you don't like me, but if you need a place to stay, a place to have that adventure - my crew and I will happily oblige."

He stared at Roger. "Are you - are you _seriously_ trying to recruit me right now?" 

Roger shoveled a mouthful of food into his mouth, then washed it down with booze. "Only if you want to. This adventure will be my last, and I believe -"

There was suddenly a flurry of motion - someone had pushed their way through the restaurant all the way to the bar where they were seated at. It was Silvers Rayleigh, and he looked rather concerned. "Roger, we have a problem. It's -"

"Roger!" someone shouted, the door slamming open. Another, very, very, familiar voice. "Can't you see this town is under marine jurisdiction? This isn't some playground for pirates such as yourself!"

"Garp," Rayleigh sighed.

"Gramps?"Ace wheezed, staring at the man looming in the front of the room. The last time he had seen Gramps was when he.....

Ace shuddered, and clenched his hands. No regrets - for either of them.

He caught Rayleigh studying him, but Ace chose not to think about that either - there would be no more slip-ups. If Roger somehow, impossibly found out that Ace was his son -

He wasn't sure if he had the mental fortitude to deal with that at the moment.

Roger laughed. "Good to see you, Garp! Care for a drink?"

Garp snorted. "Only if you turn yourself in, pirate!"

Roger laughed again, deeply and fully. 

"Damn pirates," Garp muttered. "I'll gladly show you my Fist of Love!"

Roger grinned. "Ray, take the kid and get out of here. I'll take care of this."

Rayleigh nodded, and before he knew it Ace was being shoved out the door and onto the streets. As he ran with Rayleigh, he couldn't help but look back - already, dust was rising in the air from the beginning fight, a squad of marines stationed in the street.

"Dark King Rayleigh!" one called out. "Halt!"

Rayleigh began to unsheathe his sword, but Ace was a step ahead of him. A wave of flames washed over the marines, Ace's arm flickering with heat. He didn't belong there, he couldn't control anything that was happening, but - he could at least do that.

"Nice one," Rayleigh commented, picking up the pace, not sparing a glance towards the fallen marines. "This way."

So they made their way back to the docks, where the _Oro Jackson_ was under fire from the marines. Even Crocus and the apprentices were fighting, marines flying off the boat and into the water.

"Where's the Captain?" shouted Scopper Gaban.

"He'll be here," answered Rayleigh. "Just make sure the ship is ready to sail."

"Aye!"

Rayleigh climbed onto the ship, Ace right behind him, joining in the battle. Fire leapt from his fingertips, and it roared ferociously when confronted by enemies. It wasn't going all out, but it was nice to release the tension that he'd felt since he had awoken.

The marines began thinning out, and Ace became more aware. Shanks, Buggy, Crocus, Rayleigh....what was he doing, back at the ship he had longed to escape?  
  


"I'm back!" that voice rang out loudly. "Let's set sail - to Zou!"

"Damn it." Ace muttered.


	6. Chapter 6

Ace stared at the night sky, and at the stars that hung there. It had been a couple weeks, being stuck back on the _Oro Jackson_ \- it made him furious knowing that he'd been an arm's reach from getting off the damned boat, but he made due. The crew of the _Oro Jackson_ weren't actually bad company, excluding the captain, of course.

He wasn't sure why so many people would want to follow such a man....a demon in disguise, the harbinger of the age of pirates. 

_They pirates too_ , a little voice murmured in the back of his mind. _To them, he's no devil or monster - to them, he's family._

 _Shut up_ , he thought to himself. 

So he spent his time with Shanks and Buggy the most, little Shanks reminding him of Luffy a bit. The boy loved to fish, and to party, and to tell stories, and to _live_. No wonder his little brother had been so taken with his hero - charismatic even as a child, Shanks tried to make every second count, dragging everyone else with him.

He even started helping out with simple chores - they were feeding him, after all, and he couldn't just leech off their supplies. The crew didn't need another useless member of his family, so Ace pitched in to help.

However, he wasn't an idiot - he knew when he was being watched. Silvers Rayleigh had a sharp eye - Ace never caught the man watching him, but he was doing it nonetheless. While Rayleigh may have been watching him because he was a stranger, it was also plausible he suspected who Ace was, especially after the incident in town with Gramps.

Oden, curiously, was also keeping an eye on him - yet he was very unsubtle. The man always found a way to get involved in a conversation, and Buggy and Shanks enjoyed his company. Ace still wasn't sure what to make of the man, so tried to occupy himself with other tasks when he came around.

Yes - he, Portgas D. Ace, was taking great pains to hide from the legendary daimyo. He wondered what Yamato might think of that, and sighed. What an awkward situation he'd gotten himself into, that was for sure.

"-can drink ten of these in a minute!" Shanks was boasting.

Ace blinked back into the conversation. Shanks was holding a mug filled to the brim with booze, and Ace arched an eyebrow. "I don't think you can handle even the one, small fry."

Shanks grinned. "Oh yeah, well -"  
  


A hand plucked the mug out of Shanks' grip. "I don't think such a small boy can handle that much liquor now, do you?"

Shanks looked up at Silvers Rayleigh, who took a long sip out of the mug. "Hey, that's mine!"

Rayleigh smirked at the red-head. "Did you do your chores from earlier...?"  
  


Buggy, who was next to Shanks, paled. "No...." Shanks murmured. "But Ace was telling us lots of cool stories about his crew - one of them is a mermaid, and -"

"Do your chores," Rayleigh said. "Then we'll see if you can have some. You too, Buggy. Get going now."

The two boys scrambled off and Ace waited for Rayleigh to leave. But, he didn't. Instead, he sat down next to Ace, setting the mug down next to him. "Not a one of us know how to handle children, you know."

Ace blinked. For a second there, he thought Rayleigh would accuse him of being from the future - or something. "What?"

Rayleigh shrugged. "We're pirates - this is no life for a kid. But Roger....my captain brought those two on board. They'd lived on the streets when they were younger, and he figured it wouldn't do them any harm to take them on as apprentices, considering they had no where to go home to."

Ace pursed his lips - it always came back to Roger. Next, Rayleigh would tell him how great Roger was, and -

"He's an idiot, my captain," Rayleigh huffed out a laugh, a wry smile on his face. "Corralling those kids is a lot of trouble....but, we do our best."

Ace sighed, and took a gulp of booze from his own mug. "Kids really are a lot of trouble, aren't they."

Rayleigh nodded, then stood up. "We'll be reaching Zou by tomorrow evening."

He looked up at the man. "Why are you telling me this?"

Silvers Rayleigh looked down at him, glasses glinting in the moonlight. "Every pirate has the right to take his own path. I figured I would give you the opportunity to choose yours."

Ace watched as the man walked away. Was he saying, that if he wanted to, he could...leave? He knew he wasn't a hostage or anything, but....was it really that easy? He sighed again, and was about to take another gulp of booze when laughter reached his ears and the two apprentices crashed into him, covered in soap bubbles.

"You....you _bastard,_ " Buggy wheezed, glaring at Shanks. "Rayleigh is going to kill us."

"Not if he can't catch us first!" Shanks laughed.

"Why...." Buggy mumbled. "Why me?"

He couldn't help to do anything but laugh.

However, later that night - around one o'clock in the morning - he crept out. The crew was all asleep, save for whoever was in the crow's nest keeping watch. He quietly looked around, and yet what he found stopped him in his tracks.

The biggest animal he'd ever seen - bigger than any on Dawn Island, bigger than any he'd seen on his travels - blocked their path. His hand curled into a fist, but he wasn't seriously considering actually fighting it - he wasn't sure who would, honestly. It was just so....

Majestic.

"That's Zunesha," Rayleigh said from behind him. "Zou, the place we're traveling to, resides on its back."

Ace gazed up at the powerful figure. "On its back, you say..." he murmured.

Rayleigh nodded, not a bit of regret on his face, and came up beside him. "It's not dangerous to us - the rumor has it, however, that it's looking for a specific place."

Ace glanced at Rayleigh. "Raftel."

Rayleigh shrugged. "If by that you mean the island at the end, then yes. The last Road Ponoglyph we need is up there, somewhere."

Ace continued looking up at the elephant. "That means you already have the others."

"We've read them, yes, thanks to Oden."

"And then he'll become the Pirate King."

"That's not our - or his - intention, but if that title is thrust upon him, then so be it."

Zunesha took another step forward, the waves rocking the boat, which was already attached by a rope tied around the leg of the elephant. 

"What then?" Ace asked. "What about after you visit that island?"

Rayleigh's eyes crinkled, a almost wistful smile on his face. "We'll go on another adventure, I suppose."

There wouldn't be another, though. The crew would disband, and go their separate ways. The captain of the _Oro Jackson_ would disappear for about a year, finally reemerging on the execution stand. There wouldn't be another adventure, and Rayleigh knew it.

Instead, all Ace said was, "Sounds nice."

"There's a boat tied up at the other end of the ship," Rayleigh mentioned after a moment. "Just a little dinghy, but it should manage to the next island."

"That's great."

Ace heard Rayleigh sigh. "I'll be going to get some shut-eye, then. We have a big day, tomorrow. We've climbed mountains before, but I must say, climbing an elephant is a first..."

Rayleigh left Ace alone on deck with just his thoughts, the majestic Zunesha, and the stars. 


	7. Chapter 7

A bell chimed throughout the boat, and Ace blearily opened his eyes. "Morning already...." Ace mumbled and practically rolled out of bed, throwing on a fresh set of clean clothes.

"You'd best hurry, boy," Crocus emerged from a tiny room on the side. Ace still slept in the med bay, and Crocus had his own room right next door - doctor's privileges, Crocus had explained. "They get hungry whenever we're about to head out on an adventure. Hopefully there's still enough food left."

Ace cursed under his breath - he had always held the disadvantage of sleep, considering his narcolepsy. He'd sleep too long and wake up to find that Luffy, or someone on his crew, had already filled their stomachs.

He stepped out of the med-bay, still feeling slightly drowsy, and made his way into the mess hall. Already, most of the crew was already seated, even Crocus had made it before him.

Sighing, he grabbed a plate and began to fill up his plate - some eggs here, hashbrowns there, and a lot of sausage and bacon. Ace had made it in time, at least to get one full plate - the dishes were already practically empty.

"Ace," a voice called out to him, and Ace turned to find Rayleigh. "I'm glad you could make it to breakfast."

Ace looked away. Rayleigh had offered him a way off the boat, and while Ace desperately wanted to be anywhere but on the ship....he just couldn't leave. Despite his hatred for the captain, despite his own faults -

He simply couldn't bring himself to jump ship.

"It's nothing," Ace replied. "Really."

One of Rayleigh's eyebrows quirked upwards, but the first mate made no other comment. "We'll be leaving the ship to board Zunesha soon. Eat your fill - you're going to need the energy."

Rayleigh casually departed from Ace to where the captain sat, and Ace watched with a slight frown. Rayleigh knew something - Ace wasn't sure what, but Rayleigh was a smart man, and Ace had a whole hoard of secrets prime for discovering.

"Did you see the elephant?" a voice exclaimed. "It's huge!"

Ace turned to see Shanks and Buggy hurriedly eating their breakfast. Shanks nodded with a strangely contemplative look on his face. "Yeah, she's definitely got a presence!"

Buggy frowned. "But...how are we going to get up there?"

Someone laughed, and that laugh reverberated throughout the mess hall. A hand clamped down on Buggy's shoulder, dwarfing it completely. "Don't worry about that - your captain will handle it."

Ace frowned - after his talk with Rayleigh during the most ungodly hours of the day, he was not ready for that man's crap. "You?" he asked scathingly.

Roger met his eyes. "That's right. Zunesha is a giant, and it would be ridiculous to have everyone climb it, so I've been nominated to climb it for the rest of you and let down a rope - or, that's what Ray says."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rayleigh nodding along as Roger talked.

_What...what the hell? That's -_

"Really?" Shanks grinned. "That's cool - can we watch?"

Roger laughed again. "Of course, though I don't know if you want to watch the whole time. You might even lose sight of me, the higher I go."

Shanks shook his head. "No, I'll watch the whole time - someone has to, for the rope, right?"

"What if he falls, though?" Buggy asked, tone biting. "You want to watch him fall?"

Roger opened his mouth to protest, but Shanks beat him to it. "Oh, come on, Buggy. Captain won't fall. Right, Captain?"

The man nodded, confidence gaining in the face of Shanks' belief. "Of course I won't, Shanks. Here, how about a friendly little wager...."

Ace sighed and shoved a bite of food into his mouth, listening to Roger joke with the two apprentices. No one had ever told him how hard it was to hate a man who was a living, breathing being. Yet still, he held onto that hate; if he let go, what else would he have to hold on to?

Sabo wasn't there; Luffy wasn't there; Deuce wasn't there; Thatch wasn't there; Marco wasn't there; Pops.....Pops wasn't there either. Without their support, all he had was his hate, the blame that he laid at Roger's feet.

It had to be Roger's fault, because whose fault would it be then?

"Alright," a loud, jarring voice shook Ace out of his thoughts. Rayleigh stood over them, glasses glinting. "You've had enough time to procrastinate, Roger. Time to earn your worth as a captain."

Roger looked up at Rayleigh. "Oh, don't worry, Ray - I'm actually quite excited for this. What kind of people do you think live up there? Oden says a mink tribe, but what are they _like?_ "

"I'm sure you'll find out when you get to the top of the elephant," Ray said dryly.

Roger sobered up and nodded. "That's another mystery I find myself intrigued with..."

The man stretched and made his way out of the mess hall. The two apprentices were right behind him, but the rest of the crew slowly, and at irregular intervals, followed after captain. Ace was the only one left in the mess hall.

He placed his dish into a bin and found himself on deck amongst the crew of the _Oro Jackson_. The crew was cheering, and Ace heard yells of encouragement as well as various bets. Seeing a shock of red hair within the crowd, Ace made his way towards Shanks.

Tapping the boy's shoulder, Ace asked, "Where is he?"

Shanks pointed at Zunesha's leg. "He's making good progress already - I wonder if I could do that if I wanted too..."

Ace cringed - the Shanks of his time wasn't going to be climbing Zunesha any time soon, not without that arm of his.

"Don't jinx it, idiot!" Buggy exclaimed. "He can still fall."

But Ace noticed that the boy's eyes were shining with excitement.

Over time, the crew dispersed. One by one, they drifted away, laughing about something or other.

Ace wasn't sure why he stayed, but he did - only Shanks, Buggy, and Rayleigh were left. Roger had long since become a speck on Zunesha's leg - the man wasn't even visible anymore. He couldn't imagine climbing Zunesha, even with Haki imbued arms or a superior will. It was an impossible climb - any normal person would die.

He turned away, forcing himself away - from Roger, and from his thoughts.

"Where are you going?"

Shanks was looking at him.

"Inside," Ace answered. "To get some rest."

"You're not going to wait for Captain?"

"He's not my captain," Ace said, perhaps a bit too brusquely.

"Maybe not," Rayleigh intervened. "But we're starting a new round of cards - are you sure you don't want to join?"

Ace shook his head, ignoring Shanks' crestfallen face. "I have other things to do."

Rayleigh grinned - with that damned look of his - and shrugged apologetically to the apprentices. "Nothing much we can do if he doesn't want to stay."

Ace began walking away, back below the deck. Rayleigh said something, and the small group erupted into laughter.

To make himself busy, Ace did what he could - sweeping, cleaning dishes, anything. He didn't want to think about Roger.

Lunch came and passed, yet they heard no word from Roger. Rayleigh had come in at some point, but the two apprentices were still outside, waiting for their captain.

"He'll fall to his death," Ace almost wanted to say. "He'll be killed by the natives."

But he didn't, if only for the sake of the man - boy, now - who painfully reminded Ace of Luffy.

It was later that night, when Ace was relaxing in the mess hall, that he heard a commotion on deck - loud and boisterous laughter filtered down into the ship.

"Captain!" someone exclaimed, running past the mess hall. "Captain's back!"

Despite himself, Ace was drawn into the crowd that surged up the stairs. And lo and behold, that bastard had the gall to be standing on the deck of the ship, Haki fading off his arms, with a large grin on his face.

Beside the ship was a platform, with ropes spanning the length of Zunesha.

"Huh," Ace murmured. "He really did it..."

"I won the bet!" Shanks grinned innocently at Buggy.

Buggy grumbled and rummaged around in his pockets, then finally handed over a couple of coins to his friend.

"I was right," someone said, right next to Ace - Rayleigh. "Are you going to pay me, too?"

Ace arched an eyebrow. "I don't recall making any bets."

"But you were dead set on Roger not coming back, were you not?"

Of course, that wasn't strictly true - Roger wouldn't die falling off of Zunesha, or being killed by the people of Zou. Roger would die surrounded by people, but utterly alone on that execution stand. A fate befitting a monster....right?

"Everyone!" Roger called out, a hush - despite the few laughs - fell upon the crowd of pirates. "Come on aboard! The people of Zou are waiting to welcome us!"

The pirates erupted into cheers and practically stampeded onto the boat, mugs of alcohol sloshing around in the ruckus.

Ace couldn't help but be curious - the Road Ponoglyph, one of four, was located on Zunesha. Luffy, in twenty or so years, would have to make his way to the elephant. There was a part of him that had to go, if only to partake in Luffy's quest to become king, though his participation was rather roundabout.

Once everyone was on - besides the few that remained behind to watch the ship - Roger tugged on the rope, and they slowly started moving upwards. The _Oro Jackson_ became smaller and smaller while they were elevated into the cool air.

Compared to Roger's climb, their ascent up Zunesha was about half that of the pirate king's time. The platform came to a stop, and Ace could only stare. A whole forest - with trees and everything - took up most of the view. A forest. On an elephant's back. Besides that, he could also see buildings peeking out from underneath the trees. And welcoming them was a group of people - the Mink Tribe.

A large sheep mink shuffled forward. He looked old, but kind. "Welcome, travelers." then the sheep mink surveyed the crowd, his gaze landing on one man, and bowed. "And welcome, Kozuki Oden. Garchu."

"Garchu!" The rest of the minks echoed.

Ace looked at Oden - the man smiled, but by the set of his shoulder Ace could tell that something was off. He frowned; it was the same with Roger, a sort of wary curiosity hung about him.

It was almost enough to make Ace shiver. Almost.

"My name is Hitsugisukan," the sheep mink continued. "Come. We shall show you a place in which you can rest and relax and tell us about Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, and tomorrow....we shall show you that which you seek."

Roger nodded, strangely serious. "Thank you."

Hitsugisukan smiled. "Good. Then we shall ring the Welcoming Bell for you, our lord, and your crew."

"And Ace."

Ace froze, zeroing in on Roger. _What....?_

"We come with a traveler; he's technically not part of the crew," Roger went on, even though Ace desperately wished he would just _stop_ \- "He's a good man though, and fun to be around! I've heard he's got a bunch of interesting stories."

The sheep mink just nodded, not even glancing at him. "I see. Nevertheless, you and your companions may follow us..."

Hitsugisukan led the way, and the mink civilians easily mingled with the pirates. Why had Roger done that? Why had that man take the effort to distinguish that Ace wasn't part of his crew? Ace ran a hand through his hair - it was too hard, trying to figure out the rhyme and reason behind that man.

Throughout the city, a musical sound rang in the air. Minks poked their heads out of their houses and waved, smiling and laughing. Ace smiled and waved back. It was nice to see such a place untouched by the constant war he lived in - he supposed that would happen since they hadn't had contact with human society in a thousand years.

Hitsugisukan led them deeper into the city, and soon the forest enveloped them. Massive trees loomed overhead, and Ace couldn't help but feel nostalgic - Dawn Island's forest hadn't been much different, after all.

Finally, they arrived at their destination - technically, it could be defined as a tree house, but it was nothing like the one Ace had made with his brothers. It was _huge_ , and way more expansive and structured than Ace could have ever accomplished.

"Garchu!" Minks called out to them as they walked by.

They entered the castle of a tree house, and everyone seated themselves on cushions, the mugs already out and being filled.

"Relax, friends, and enjoy this night," Hitsugisukan said at the head of the room. "Let us enjoy each other's companionship - garchu!"

The pirates cheered and the formalities dissolved into a relaxed cheer. Minks mingled with pirates, and Ace didn't hesitate in taking part in the festivities.

To his knowledge, the party lasted the entire night. With his narcolepsy, it was hard to tell, but since minks could also be nocturnal, it wasn't a stretch to say that the party simply didn't stop.

When he had been conscious, he made sure not to interact with Roger - after spending weeks on the same boat, it was nice to talk to someone who wasn't on the crew, even if they were rather physical in their affection.

As for Roger, Ace knew that man was having a good time. He couldn't quite escape the boasting stories, or the booming laugh that could be heard even a mile away. Shanks and Buggy hung on every word, along with a mink child.

Nevertheless, the night came and went, and soon enough the sun was peeking above the trees. Ace rubbed some sleep out of his eyes and suppressed a yawn. He felt tired, but he was awake, and he hoped it would stay that way. Standing up, and being sure not to step on any of the sleeping minks that had gathered around him throughout the night, he made his way to a more empty area.

Ace grabbed some fruit that was laying in a bowl and took a bite. Juice dribbled down his chin and he wiped it off. It wasn't meat, but having a mango for breakfast wasn't half bad.

Ace stepped out of the room, a soft breeze blowing through the forest. He walked around a bit, hoping it would wake himself up, just a little bit.

By the time he returned to the room the pirates had crashed in, the majority of the _Oro Jackson'_ s crew were up and eating breakfast.

Hitsugisukan entered the room about an hour later, Oden curiously by his side. "Captain," the sheep mink said. "It is now time that I show you and your crew the secret the retainers of the Kozuki clan have been keeping."

Roger nodded, an uncharacteristically serious expression his face. "Of course. Just lead the way."

In within ten minutes, the Roger pirates, though hungover - except for Ace, courtesy of being fire - began their trek through the forest. Their destination was apparently the Whale Forest, located at the base of Zunesha's neck. Meaning, at the complete opposite end of the elephant.

Needless to say, it was a long walk, but Ace didn't mind. Many of the minks that had partied with the pirates followed them, including the young mink boy that had been so enamored by Roger's stories.

Like Roger, Ace found himself telling stories to the minks as they walked. Of course, most of them were about Luffy - even though Luffy had been born yet, a big brother had the right to brag about his younger siblings.

Before he knew it, they arrived in a small clearing, the giant Whale Tree stretching out before them. Ace looked up - the sheer magnitude of it....it reminded him of the _Moby Dick_ , actually.

"We have arrived," the sheep mink announced.

Roger eyed the tree. "That voice...."

Oden nodded. "I get what you mean."

Hitsugisukan did something with the tree, and a passageway opened up, a set of stairs leading downwards. "Follow me - the Road Ponoglyph in which you seek is hidden away beneath the Whale Tree."

The pirates descended without a second thought. He pressed his lips into a thin line. Ace wasn't afraid of the dark - he was a pirate, and a pirate couldn't be scared of such a silly thing like the dark (he refused to think of the crushing darkness that kept him contained, that suffocated him and-).

No, he wasn't scared of the dark. Yet he held out his hand and manifested a ball of fire, letting shadows flicker on the walls in the wake of his light.

Some of the minks gasped at his display, eyes wide in wonder. A few of the minks edged closer, entranced with his warmth - he figured that was why he had woken up that morning surrounded by minks.

They continued downward, Roger's voice echoing in the passage, then - 

"Woah, there is a Ponoglyph here!" Shanks exclaimed, his voice ringing in the air - some of the pirates snickered at the apprentice's outburst, while the minks winced. "Say, Oden, what does it all mean?"

Oden chuckled. "Give me a moment. This isn't light reading, you know?"

Ace stepped down onto the floor, finally done with the stairs, and his eyes widened at the Road Ponoglyph - it was giant, and words covered the front side. The cube itself was blood red, and sunlight from a small opening above fell directly upon the Ponoglyph.

He stared at the Ponoglyph, feeling....awed? Not quite awed, but he felt...a presence, and Ace had to remember that he had to actually breathe. "So that's....a Road Ponoglyph."

"Caught you by surprise, didn't it?" Rayleigh asked, next to Ace.

Ace nodded - he couldn't read the writing on it, but he couldn't look away either. "Yeah...what is that, exactly?"

"I would assume what you're hearing is the Voice of All Things," Rayleigh said. "Only a select few have it, the captain and Oden being two of them. Not much is known about it, I'm afraid, but I believe it's an extreme variation of Observation Haki."

Ace blinked and looked at Rayleigh. "Really?"

"Yes. It's very interesting that you, too, would have that ability," Rayleigh mused. "I wonder why that is."

Ace looked away. It was probably because he was the biological son of Roger, not that he would ever admit it. 

Rayleigh moved on ahead to talk with Roger, while Ace looked upon that stone just a bit more. Oden was seated on the ground, transcribing the words onto parchment paper, yet taking time to laugh and joke.

Ace eventually left the secret room underneath he Whale Tree, but now that he was aware of its presence, he wondered if it was the Ponoglyph causing the tension Roger and Oden felt. He forced himself not to worry about it too much - Luffy would probably be better at the Voice of All Things anyways with his insane intuition. 

They only stayed in Zou for another week, but at least could say it was a damn good week. Without the fact that Roger existed being shoved in his face every five minutes, something in him relaxed. It felt what he imagined a vacation might feel like (not that he knew, with never really having to work - legally, at least).

But, as all good things do, the "vacation" came to an end. The Roger Pirates picked up their belongings and made their way onto the platform that would be lowered back to the ship. Yet Ace hesitated - Roger was no where to be seen. And neither was Oden, if he thought about it.

He voiced his question out loud.

"Give him a moment," Rayleigh answered knowingly. "He had some last minute business."

And sure enough when you speak of the devil, he appears.

"Roger! Lord Oden! Take me along!" a small voice shouted. Turning, Ace saw it was the young jaguar mink that had been hanging around with Shanks and Buggy. "I'll do anything! Take me with you!"

Ace didn't even feel surprised - the small mink had hung on Roger's every word. He didn't feel angry, just...heavy. 

And then Roger came into few. The man, if he wanted to, could be quite imposing, being ridiculously tall with that fierce smile and those intense eyes....

Roger patted the mink boy's head. "Kid" he said. "You still have to wait."

The boy shrugged off Roger's hand. "I'm not a kid, I'm Pedro!"

Roger burst into laughter, and Ace couldn't help but tense up. "My time is limited. Listen! Everyone has their own turn."

 _My time is limited....?_ What the hell did that mean?

Roger turned from Pedro and began walking towards the platform to join them. Looking back at the mink, Roger grinned. "Be patient and wait! It will come naturally. Your turn, I mean.... Goodbye, Pedro."

"Okay, Roger!" called out the mink to Roger's retreating back.

Ace felt his tension dissolve as Roger joined them on the platform. He didn't know what he expected, if Roger was just going to take the kid along with them, like he did with Shanks and Buggy. But to be fair, he didn't know either of the apprentices' backgrounds...it was likely they had no family. Unlike Pedro.

Finally, all of the pirates were gathered on the platform, and Oden bade farewell to his retainers. And as they were lowered to the sounds of "goodbye!" being called down upon them, Ace realized something.

_My time is limited._

There were many things he did not know.


End file.
